Dr Chris Martin, from the Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology, will complete the 13.1 mile course to raise money for the Sands stillbirth and neonatal death charity to commemorate his son Eddie, who was stillborn at 21 weeks.Dr Chris Martin

Initially he had set a fundraising target of £500, but thanks to the generosity of friends, family and colleagues he has already more than doubled that target. He’s now hoping to raise as much as possible for Sands.

Dr Martin said: “Finding out the news that we had lost our baby was literally devastating for both my fiancee Kate and I and we will never forget the experience. The week of Eddie's birth was the hardest that I have experienced and there were so many raw emotions and difficult questions to deal with.

“However, the fabulous staff at the Royal Gwent Hospital highlighted Sands to us as a source of information and support at this extremely confusing time. Their online resources were invaluable and they continued to support us once Eddie was born.

“I wanted to do something to give something back to Sands in memory of Eddie. It’s an amazing cause and the work they do is so important.”

Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, works to support families devastated by the death of a baby before, during, or shortly after birth, and improve the care they receive as well as promoting research and changes in practice that could help to reduce the loss of babies’ lives.

To do this they rely on the generosity of fundraisers and supporters to continue their vital work.

Stillbirth and neonatal death are not rare events. In 2014, around 5,600 babies died just before, during or soon after birth. That’s more than 100 babies every week.

It’s a tragedy that can happen to anyone and at any time. It’s devastating not just for parents, but also for grandparents, siblings, other children, aunts and uncles, friends, work colleagues and health professionals such as midwives who have cared for parents and babies that have died.